


Sorcerer Mine

by YellingAtPlants



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Gwaine Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Gwaine (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:00:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27622406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellingAtPlants/pseuds/YellingAtPlants
Summary: Merlin is injured after a fight in the woods. Gwaine is there to fix it
Relationships: Merlin/Gwaine
Comments: 7
Kudos: 88
Collections: Merlin (early) Winter Creative Exchange





	Sorcerer Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [temporalSilence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/temporalSilence/gifts).



> I don’t know if this is how this works, but my prompt was “literally anything” so let’s see

Gwaine, carefully resisting the urge to throttle his lover when he found him, sat down heavily on a tree stump as Lancelot paced in front of him, stroking his chin in thought. They’d been waiting at the edge of the forest for hours in the hope that Merlin would emerge and solve them all the trouble of a search party. Initially, Arthur and the others had stayed too, their worry practically palpable, but one by one they went to sleep.

Gwaine was slowly starting to wish he’d joined them.

Things had gotten better, after the accidental reveal of Merlin’ magic. The sorcerer no longer had to sneak around or hide things from them. And yet, even months later, not one of them had caught a second glimpse of the powers he held. The man still seemed to believe he was due to be turned in at any given moment. He snuck around, dodged questions, did everything manually when people were watching. He acted like a man unsafe in his own home. Gwaine hated to think that he used to be just that.

Which brought them to the woods. In the middle of the night. With only a sliver of moonlight to see by. Lancelot refused to stop pacing, and Gwaine had stopped paying attention to the anxious mumbling under his breath hours ago. His own foot was tapping absently against the damp forest floor, making a wet sound each time his boot connected with mud. He was startled when lance threw up his arms with a yell.

“I’m done! We’ve been here for nearly the whole night Gwaine, where is he?” It was unusual to see Lancelot so wound up, but Gwaine could tell from the tenseness in his shoulders it wasn’t out of any malice. He was worried sick.

“Lance, why don’t you head back to the castle and tell Arthur to arrange a search party if I don’t return by morning? I’m going to look for him.” Making sure his sword was securely on his belt, he pushed himself off the log and shook out his legs, eager to be moving again. A warm hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Gwaine? Be careful.” They both knew all too well that there were dangers in those woods that not even most of Uther’s personal guard would like to face. He offered Lancelot a grin, could only hope it didn’t fall flat.

“We’ll be back before you know it, just tell the princess.” Lancelot gave him a disapproving look for his choice nickname for their king, but he looked a little lighter, so Gwaine considered it a victory.

The sound of hooves against wet ground faded as he headed into the trees, sword drawn and ready. He knew better than to take this situation as a joke. Maybe, back when they didn’t know Merlin better, they would have assumed he’d just tripped on the stairs and found him the next day. Now? Gwaine didn’t even want to think of the connotations of a missing sorcerer known to be close to the king. They were yet to give him a title in court, the situation being deftly avoided by the manservant anytime it was brought up. But Gwaine knew Arthur was trying to appoint him. If word had somehow gotten out that there was soon to be a court sorcerer in Camelot? There was no end to who might want to hurt Merlin.

He sliced some low hanging branches out of his way with slightly more aggression than called for, getting a face full of leaves for his effort. With a grunt of annoyance he shoved them aside, carefully stepping over a log as he continued deeper.

Finally, after what felt like years of walking, he heard Merlin’s voice.

It somehow both sounded like his lover and didn’t, a soft growling feature to his words that was usually lost in the day. Gwaine stumbled straight into a battlefield, and stood frozen in shock for a few moments.

Both parties were hovering slightly from the ground, fingertips glowing. Merlin’s eyes were alright with shades of gold and yellow, framed by the angry furrow of his brows. There was a slight snarl to his lips, a hidden strength in his shoulders. Gwaine was mesmerised, watching and listening as each powerful burst of magic attacked his opponent, battering away whatever defences they’d built. He knew he should move to help Merlin in some way, but he felt frozen in place, watching in slow motion as a second person emerged from the brush, throwing a knife towards Merlin. Distracted, the sorcerer didn’t have time to block, yelling out in pain as the blade thudded into his arm. His restraint on his power seemed to vanish, exploding out of him and sending everything in the vicinity flying backwards. Gwaine distantly felt his back hit a tree, but he didn’t have time to register the pain before he was practically running to reach Merlin.

The man had curled in on himself, his sides heaving with breath. His frantic eyes remained gold, and Gwaine knew that if he startled Merlin right now, he was in danger of being struck down again. He slowed his steps until he stopped a short distance from Merlin, then whistled once, softly. The manservant jolted to attention, eyes scanning him like a wild animal assessing a predator. He crouched slowly to Merlin’s level, wincing slightly at the ache in his spine as he moved.

“Hey, Merls. It’s Gwaine. We’re in the woods outside Camelot.” Merlin flopped properly onto the ground, a breathless, startled laugh crossing his lips. The gold slowly faded from his eyes, replaced with blown pupils and agony.

“And I’m on the ground.” Gwaine struggled to hold back a laugh at the poor attempt at humour. Careful not to touch the wounded arm, he wrapped his arms around Merlin, tugging him into his chest. With a soft grunt, Merlin let himself fall limply into Gwaine. He rocked them gently until Merlin stopped shaking.

“We really need to get you back to Camelot, oh powerful warlock.” Merlin laughed but it broke off in a groan when he tried to move his arm.

“How bad?” Gwaine would have hit himself if he didn’t have his arms full of wounded sorcerer. Of course it was bad it was a knife-

“Apart from the entire dagger in my arm? Not that bad.” Merlin was steadily growing paler, but the smile on his face counteracted it somewhat. Slowly, Gwaine settled his hand on the hilt of the dagger.

“You know I have to-" he flinched at even the thought of causing Merlin so much pain, and ripped the sleeve off his tunic in advance.

“Quickly, I’ll be fine.” Gwaine tugged his lip between his teeth before pulling the blade out as carefully as he could. Merlin let out a yell followed by a soft groan when Gwaine tightly bound the tunic cloth around it.

“Up with you, come on.” He lifted Merlin up into his arms gently, letting his head rest in his neck. Merlin let out a half-assed protest at being carried around before falling silent, closing his eyes and forcing his body to relax instead. Gwaine felt the remaining sleeve of his tunic grow warm, and knew Merlin was bleeding just slightly too fast for his comfort.

He quickened his pace to a slight jog.

When they reached his stallion, he was about ready to kiss the horse from relief. There was no time to be gentle, so he unceremoniously dumped Merlin in the saddle, relieved when the man was conscious enough to hold himself steady and wrap his arms around Gwaine’s waist.

Gwaine pushed his stallion into a gallop. Hopefully, some magic voodoo nonsense would keep Merlin safe until he could get him back to Gaius. He almost groaned aloud at the thought of the annoyed physician and his lectures, but held himself back with the best of his restraint. His stallion took the gates in a leap, his hooves clattering against the flagstones and likely waking up half the castle. He’d apologise later.

For now, he carefully lifted a half-awake Merlin into his arms, taking great care to keep him as still as possible even as he took the stairs three at a time, his breaths slightly panted. He reached the physicians Chambers in record time and didn’t even bother knocking, knowing Gaius had probably been awake for hours worrying.

“Goodness me Sir Gwaine!” Ah there was the disapproving eyebrow. He shrugged off the exasperated glare and settled Merlin onto the little bed near the fire, drawing a sleepy mumble from him. Gently, he swiped a black curl out of his face, reminded sharply of how powerful this man was, and how lucky he was to have him.

“How wonderful to be back.” Merlin’s voice could have been sarcastic, or just raspy. Either way, Gwaine couldn’t help a soft laugh.

“It’s good to see you too my boy. Now let me see.” Merlin didn’t bother to fight, simply turned enough that Gaius could access his arm before burying his face back in Gwaine’s shoulder.

Gwiane watched Gaius go through each careful motion of treating the wound, feeling slightly sick. Each time Merlin flinched, he’d rub his back until he relaxed.

When they were done, Gwaine carefully lifted Merlin into his arms and carried him to his room. Like Merlin was breakable, he settled him on the pillow, startled when the sorcerer yanked him down on top of him with surprising strength, letting out a satisfied sound.

“Stay?” Merlin still sounded nervous, like he really thought Gwaine was going anywhere.

“Always.” He pressed a kiss to the top of Merlin’s head before wrapping him tightly in his arms.

Powerful sorcerer or not, everyone needed a hug after being hurt. It was just common sense.

**Author's Note:**

> This feels a little rushed... might rewrite it unless people like it


End file.
